Football & travel for the big tournaments: World Cup, European Championships, African Cup of Nations, Confederations Cup

It's close to kick off here at the Prater in Vienna for the second of EURO 2008's quarter finals. Croatia versus Turkey is v irtually a local derby in the Austrian capita l. This afternoon I toured the two respective Viennese neighbourhoods, beggining with walking the length of mile-long Ottakringstrasse in the 16th district, home to Vienna's Croat expat population. With the sunny weather and the fans' confidence in their team after three straight wins had created a red and white-checked party atmosphere. The Croats know they are playing well and have an excellent opportunity tonight to win the right to have another crack at Germany in the semi-finals. While the 2-1 win over the 2006 World Cup hosts was the pick of their first round victories, Croatia are on a knife-edge in terms of possible suspensions. Seven of their players are on a yellow card going into this game, one less than Turkey. After the Ottakringstrasse, I walked down to the nearby Brunnenmarkt, a little piece of Turkey in Austria. The market stalls crowded the narrow streets, likea bazaar in the near East. The traders hawked their wares, a kaleidoscope of food, consumer goods and fake football merchandise. The Turks are probably the most passionate fans at EURO 2008 so I can't imagine what this neighbourhood will sound like should they win tonight. Fatih Terim's team made the comeback of the tournament so far in defeating the Czech Republic 3-2 having been two goals down. That fighting spirit they will need in abundance tonight against the classy Croats, who start favourites, in my book anyway. Skipper Nihat Kehveci, protagonist in Turkey's fightback against the Czechs, will be itching to prove it was not just a one-off night for a team that was lowly-rated at the start of the competition. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Few people are more qualified to comment of the eagerly-awaited Euro 2008 quarter-final between Holland and Russia than Dick Advocaat. John Duerden caught up with the former Dutch boss and current coach of Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg. You were at the Euro 2004 and 2006 World Cup –do you miss not being involved? Yes, I really miss it. That kind of championship and that kind of preparation for a coach is always really pleasant. Have you been surprised at how good the Netherlands have been? Well. If you had asked me that four weeks ago, I would have given a different answer. Everything has worked out for the team is a way that has been unbelievably positive. What has changed? They believe in each other at the moment and they believe in themselves as well. They had a meeting with the coach about the system and he changed that. The team likes to play football and it has worked out. He has given them a little bit of responsibility to change the system and they are all very happy with that. Is the defence a weak point? No. you know that the attractive players play in midfield and up front, and they are always the ones that grab the headlines. I think that they have a very decent defensive line with a good number of experienced players. What kind of game do you expect? I think that as I know Guus (Hiddink) he will say the same thing I said to my Zenit team when they played Bayern Munich ‘you have nothing to lose, just show how good you are, make it difficult for the other team and you can surprise them.’ Have you been impressed with Russia? They played well even taking into consideration the weakness of Greece and Sweden. Arshavin said in the Russian media ‘we can’t say that everything is perfect’ but if Russia play the same way against Holland as they played against Greece, they can progress. How do you stop Arshavin? He is a very opportunistic player, very based on himself. He’s a player that you don’t see for 50 minutes and then suddenly, he’s gone and can score a goal, Not a lot of players have that quality. Sometimes you sit on the bench and think ‘I have to take him out’ but you don’t do that because you know that he can change and decide the game in a second. If Zenit players play well, that could be a problem as other clubs become interested? Well, Arshavin is interested in moving to a foreign country. For us it is not so good that this tournament came after the championship because he can show himself and he will definitely do that tomorrow. I hope he will stay. You think he will go? If he gets the right opportunity I think he will go. What about Luca Toni? He played against you this season but can’t find the net for Italy I saw him with Bayern and he did really well. You have to take his supply lines away and make it difficult for him. You have to really close down the sides and cut the crosses because in the air he is excellent and a very good player. Can Spain defeat Italy? That is an exciting match and very interesting but I can’t say which team will win that one. Other teams that have impressed you? I have been impressed with the way Russia played against Sweden and Greece. They have been very fresh, attacking and they like to score goals. I was also impressed with Portugal even though they are now out. Has the competition been good overall? Average. Some good games and bad games. You were linked with the Blackburn job? To be honest, I will finish the Russian season which ends in November and then make a decision. I have heard nothing about it. You had no contact with Blackburn? No, otherwise I would tell you. Who will win tomorrow between Russia and Holland? The best team! (laughs) Who do you want to win? (laughs) I am not going to answer that! Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

EURO 2008 QF VIENNA Croatia 1:1 Turkey aet; 0:0 after 90mins, Turkey win 3-1 on penalties Klasnic 119', Senturk 120' A disappointing contest which never got going over 118 minutes, implausibly caught fire in the last two minutes of extra-time, and ended in a dramatic finale of shifting fortunes. First Croatia and then Turkey revelled in 60 seconds of ecstasy after scoring improbable goals, before three missed penalties sent the Turks through to a semi-final date with Germany. After almost two hours of solid but increasingly tiresome play which rarely looked like producing a result, Ivan Klasnic' 119th minute header surely looked to have carried Croatia through. But as the soccer fates wound their thread yet tighter, Turkey's Semih Senturk rifled into the top corner in the 122nd minute to silence Croatia's huge travelling support. When it came to penalties, Croatia showed themselves the less adept, missing three out of four to send the last-gasp specialist Turks through instead. The day's Viennese heat had cooled inside the Prater by kick-off, but the temperature was always goingto be stoked by the passionate Turkish fans and their Croatian counterparts, who outnumbered them substantially inside the bowl. After a couple of long-range shots at either end, the first moment of real danger arrived in the sixth minute when Ivan Rakitic infiltrated the box on the left and pulled it back into the six yard box, but the onrushing Darijo Srna failed to connect. Turkey had enjoyed the majority of the ball in the opening quarter of an hour, showing little respect for their opponents, but in the 18th the Croats gave a reminder of just how dangerous they are on the counter. Dinamo Zagreb star Luka Modric accelerated between three defenders to the endline and whipped the ball back across goal. Striker Ivica Olic slid in but only found the crossbar with the goal gaping before him; Niko Kranjcar's rebound header went soaring over. Halfway through the first period, Croatia had slipped throught the gears and had now got the Turks on the backfoot. The left wing was their favourite route to goal, from where Daniel Pranjic and Ivan Rakitic were sending over a succession of dangerous crosses. Middlesbrough forward Tuncay Sanli became the first of three Turks starting on a yellow card to disqualify themselves from the semi-final, picking up another booking in the 27th minute. After stroking the ball around a while in front of the Croatian rearguard, Turkey almost registered the strike of the tournament seven minutes before the break. Midfield anchor Mehmet Topal let rip from a good 35 yards and his ambitious effort whistled only inches past Stipe Pleitkosa's upright. As the seconds ticked down towards the interval, it seemed Croatia had certainly carved out the better chances, but Turkey had proved their mettle too, giving the impression of a drawn-out battle in the pipeline. In the 49th minute, Arda saw yellow and counted himself out of the semi-final, while a minute later Olic beat Turkish goalkeeper Recber Rustu to the ball but from two yards wide of the post, his header bounced away from the open net. Then in the 57th Croatia threatened again when Modric threaded Niko Kranjcar through but the Portsmouth man's toe-poke did not fool Rustu. A minute short of the hour with the play largely stagnant, a bunch of Croatian ultras let off a flare and a pair of smoke bombs, leaving a fine mist across the arena. Swiss TV had been criticised for not showing similar incidents in previous games, so it will be interesting if this was picked up or not. Incredibly to English eyes, no stewards intervened and there are no police to be seen anyway inside the stadium. Slaven Bilic exchanged Krancjar for Mladen Petric in the 64th in the hope adding some zest to his team's attack. While looking solid at the back, Cro atia were failing to penetrate up front. Modric was certainly their best hope of a breakthrough, slaloming past four or five Turks in the 69th minute, but his final ball confused the lurking Olic. Olic and Rakitic played a neat one-two a moment later before Rakitic skied his finish, leaving Bilic on the touchline a picture of self-torture. With a quarter of an hour to play, it was certainly not a patch on last night's Germany v Portugal clash, but the possibility of a killer goal in the closing minutes was still there. In the 83rd, a raiding Petric was brought down 20 yards out, offering Croatia a possible avenue from a set piece. Darijo Srna's blasted free kick swung around the Turkish wall and drew a spectacular tip away by Rustu. Then, a minute from time, Modric, the creative Croat, broke down the right and sent a cross into the near post for Olic, but Rustu was well placed to save as the striker slid in. Srna dirtied the Turkish custodian's gloves once more with a long-range free kick, but when Petric swung his shot high into the stands in the final minute of added-on time, there was to be no winner. Four minutes into the first period, Tuncay forced an otherwise rarely-employed Pletikosa to punch away his near-post cross cum shot. The two sets of fans manfully kept the atmosphere stoked, despite the challenging spectacle before them. Bilic finally relieved Olic's fruitless toiling up front by swapping him for the fresh legs of Ivan Klasnic seven minutes after the restart. Four minutes later Semih tried his luck from 20 yards but scooped his shot over the bar. Three minutes before the half came a moment of real danger. From a similar distance, Arda squared the ball for Tuncay to ping a shot just wide of the diving Pletikosa and his post. At the start of the second period, the stadium was in full voice, releasing their frustration,along with a few flares, at the frustrating game. Modric almost weaved his way through in the 110th after being released by Srna, but Rustu stole the ball from his feet as he stumbled. With four minutes to go, Turkey won a free kick deep on the right but Nihat's orbital conclusion saw Fatih Terim so angry he subbed his No.8 for Gokdeniz Karadeniz seconds later. With a minute to go Srna streamed down the right more in hope than anything but Modric sprintedonto his centre ahead of Rustu, spun and crossed back for Klasnic to head into the netand send the Croats into ecstasy. As if to compensate for two hours of near-tedium for the neutrals, Semih then equalised with the clock showing 121 minutes 14 seconds, spearing the ball into the top corner from just inside the box after Rustu's long punt had deflected into his path. An extraordinary exciting end to a rather negative 120 minutes, with penalties to come. Modric stroked the first penalty just wide of the post, handing Turkey the advantage. Arda scored for Turkey, though Pletikosa got a hand to it. Srna scored for Croatia, Semih for Turkey. Then Rakitic produced a carbon copy of Modric's miss, albeit missing the left post, before Hamit put the Turks 3-1 ahead after three kicks. It was left to the unlucky Petric to kill off his nation's hopes by placing his kick too close to Rustu. Turkey had pulled victory from the jaws of almost certain defeat by Croatia in the most dramatic of circumstances, proving their three-goal comeback against the Czech Republic was no flash in the pan. Terim's team now advance to meet Germany in Basel for a place in the EURO 2008 final. Croatia are left to rue their failure to convert over 120 minutes, and wonder at the extraordinary capacity of football to swing fortunes and make the unforeseen happen. CRO: Pletikosa, Corluka, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna, Modric, Nico Kovac, Rakitic, Kranjcar (Petric 64'), Olic (Klasnic 97'). TUR: Rustu, Altintop, Zan, Asik, Balta, Topal (Senturk 76'), Sarioglu, Sanli, Turan, Kazim-Richards (Boral 61'), Nihat (Karadeniz 117'). EURO 2008 SEMI-FINALS BASEL WED 25th Germany v Turkey VIENNA THU 26th Netherlands/Russia v Italy/Spain (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

EURO 2008 Quarter-final lineup: Germany v Portugal Croatia v Turkey Netherlands v Russia Italy v Spain Germany v Portugal tonight looks an intriguing contrast of styles. The Lusitanians will be hoping Cristiano Ronaldo can catch fire in the right way tonight and burn the German defence that was breached twice by Croatia in the group stage. While Germany will not be short of fans pouring across the Swiss border to Basel, Portugal can count on the largest expat support of any competing nation in Switze rland. Their victory over the Czechs in Geneva almost felt like a home game, given the numbers of red and green flags flying from windows across the city. * * * "We are more technical, while the German game is more physical," Ronaldo succinctly put it. "The physical game does not win tournaments," assured German coach Joachim Löw, "but it helps you not to lose them." Ronaldo is a daily fixture in the Spanish sporting press, who leap at any rumour of a rumour of a rumour regarding his interest in playing for Real Madrid next season. While the Manchester United winger has erected a wall in front of questions on his future, journalists have had to use a Trojan horse: "Do you prefer paella or fish and chips?" one cheeky hack asked him. "Bacalhau" (Portuguese fish dish) was Ronaldo's smart reply. * * * The uncrowned King of Germany, 'Kaiser' Franz Beckenbauer, who put the boot in relentlessly on Löw's predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann, has said Germany must improve in order to beat Portugal tonight. "The midfield has suffered from a lack of ideas," he told Bild. "They will have to play like they did in the 3rd place play-off in 2006." Should the Teutonic muscle triumph, the praise should go to the American and Japanese fitness coaches employed by the Klinsmann/Löw regime. Mark Verstegen and Massaya Sakihan are gearing up the Mannschaft with tests employed on NASA astronauts. * * * Spain v Italy looks the pick of the quarter-finals to me. The Spanish have played the most attractive soccer of EURO 2008 thus far and do not have any major injury worries. "I thought they (Italy) were dead but they made it through in the end," Spanish coach Luis Aragones told journalists. "They are not the team I wanted to play but today anyone can beat anyone. They will be a very tough opponent but I have a lot of faith in my team." Memories of the USA 1994 quarter-final in Boston chime. Jose Luis Caminero had equalised Dino Baggio's opener for Italy, before Spain missed a hatful of chance s in the second half, allowing Roberto Baggio to pop up and score the winner with three minutes remaining. Spain and Italy are superficially similar Latin European nations, with shared Roman roots and mutually intelligible languages. Spain is the home of two giants of the club game. Barcelona and Real Madrid are colossi of economic and political power, their influence stretching far beyond the football pitch. Spain have also joined Italy at Euro 2008 in complaining about the changeable weather in the Alps, a shock to the weeks of endless sunshine in their own lands. But when it comes to the national teams, however, Italy has long been streets ahead. The Azzurri have bagged three World Cups to Spain's none. This time more than ever, though, the tables look set to turn. The world champions are up to their old tricks, flattering to deceive with a sluggish start before turning their engines on full blast when they're up against the wall. Roberto Donadoni's revival however, will be badly hit by the absence of Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, suspended after picking up two yellow cards. What a loss to the tournament, let alone Italy. Why must UEFA and FIFA persist with this cruel rule? At least UEFA have prevented another 'Gazza's tears' incident by erasing bookings after the quarter-final. But that is too late for Gattuso and Pirlo, and possibly Italy. In domestic play you need to accrue five yellow cards to miss a match, so why is it two in international tournaments, when the absence of key players ruins the spectacle. * * * Rumours of discontent within the French squad are growing. That would come as no surprise given Les Bleus' disenchanted body language throughout their three games. What are the players traipsing home across the Alps to make of their coach Raymond Domenech proposing live on air just after France had been eliminated by Italy? The game had gone from bad to worse for France, who first lost their most useful attacker Franck Ribery through injury before Eric Abidal was dismissed for a clumsy tackle. "The only thing I am thinking of right now is to marry Estelle," exclaimed Domenech post-match, to stupefied millions. Conspiracy theorists are pointing to Ludovic Giuly's omission from the French squad as down to the Roma winger's 'friendship' with Domenech's girlfriend. Estelle Denis presents '100% FOOT' on France's M6 channel and she and Giuly exchanged a number of texts after he appeared on her show in 2004. Giuly grovellingly apologised to Domenech, claiming he had no idea they were a couple, but that didn't stop Domenech leaving Giuly out of the 2006 World Cup squad, as well as Euro 2008. Domenech and Denis already have two children, Merlin and Victoire. If only their father could have been a magician and pulled a victory out of the hat. Domenech has since apologised for the rush of blood to his head and has also excused France's poor form by saying his real objective was to prepare for the 2010 World Cup. * * * Spain had an unfair advantage beating Greece in Salzburg. The Wals-Siezenheim stadium is nicknamed 'the Bullring', or in Spanish, 'Arena de los Toros', thanks to its occupancy by Red Bull Salzburg. Those purists who fear an American franchising of football in England should wake up to what happened here three years ago. The old Austria Salzburg, dating back to 1933, became Casino Salzburg in 1978, Wustenrot Salzburg in 1993 and finally Red Bull Salzburg in 2005. The last of these changes was the most controversial as it ditched the tradional purple strip in favour of the corporate red and white colours. Salzburg's kit is identical to that of its sister club, the New York Red Bulls (formerly the Metrostars) and forms part of a global corporate identity which includes the Formula One Red Bull team. Die-hard supporters, in a move to mirror those of AFC Wimbledon and FC United of Manchester, formed a new club in 2006, successfully registering the traditional name and logo and entering the team in the seventh tier of Austrian football (no jokes, please). SV Austria Salzburg have enjoyed two promotions in as many seasons and deserve our best wishes. * * * Croatia coach Slaven Bilic has been one of the stars of Euro 2008. The former Hajduk Split, Karlsruhe, West Ham and Everton defender has been the most effusive of the coaches on the touchline, celebrating Croatian goals as if he were still playing. Not your average footballer, the quadrilingual law graduate and smoker plays guitar in a rock band and hails from a radical family. His father was one of the students who organised a protest against 'President for Life' Tito at Split University in 1971. Although Bilic senior was not jailed, the family were placed under surveillance. When Bilic junior was selected to play for Yugoslavia at the 1987 World Youth Cup in Chile, his selection was overruled from above, making Slaven even more pro-Croat than ever. Twenty-one years down the line, he has surely got his revenge. * * * (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Euro 2008 is now in its 'endspiel' as they say here. It is hard to believe 24 games have already taken place, with only seven to go, but I for one always get a bit of a sinking feeling as a tournament enters its knockout phase. The first round is always the best part of any tournament to experience because the fans of all the countries are around. I find nothing more lonesome than the free days before the final as the tournament winds down and the partying concludes. Unless of course England were involved but no hypotheticals for now. So far, Euro 2008 has lost some huge fan groups - the Swedes, Czechs, Poles and the largest two of all - those of host nations Austria and Switzerland. The silver lining is of course that games from now on are winner-takes-all, 'there must be a result tonight' knock-out. This means more passion, incident and recrimination and no repeats of France v Romania. * * * Here in Vienna the tournament is anything but dead. While we may not get 200,000+ in the fan zone again like we did when Austria played Germany, there will be standing room only when Croatia tackle Turkey here on Saturday night. This is almost a local derby. Both nations have huge immigrant populations in the Austrian capital, Croatia's an old legacy of being part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Turkey's from being part of the neighbouring Ottoman one. While most Turks in Vienna are 20th century arrivals, they have always had a presence here in one way or another; in 1683 Turkish forces surrounded Vienna and almost took the city. Official statistics claim 16,500 Croats live in Vienna out of a national total of 56,000 but their flags are everywhere, especially around the Balkan enclave of the 16th district, the Ottakringerstrasse, a neighbourhood shared with who else but their opponents at the Pratar on Saturday. The Turks are even more prevalent if anything, with their cuisine the most commonly found in the city. Turkey's last-gasp win against the Czechs was celebrated by thousants of noisy red-clad fans jammed into the fanzone and across the city long into the night. Surely no set of supporters cheers their team with such fiery, nationalistic fervour as the Turks. Expect Saturday to be one big, noisy, high-pressure night in Vienna. I was there the last time the two met in the European Championship, in Nottingham in Euro 1996. Both had qualified for a finals for the first time and after relentless pressure, Croatia ran out winners thanks to an 86th minute winner from Goran Vlaiovic at the City Ground. * * * The host nations have been the subject of gripes from a number of English journalists these past few days, complaining Austria and Switzerland are too genteel and more interested in Alpine sports than hosting a football tournament. I wonder how badly travelled these men are if they have only just discovered Alpine Europe and its clean and pleasant ambience. Comparing joyful and spotless Salzburg to the grotty and scary Marseille at France '98, I know which I prefer to be a fan in. Austria and Switzerland have excellent public transport networks, free of charge to ticket holders, and there are no sirens, heavy-handed policing, sounds of breaking glass, fans with blood pouring from wounds and local toughs waiting on street corners to assault you, all of which I have experienced in other European countries with football. But leaving that aside, are they implying every European Championship ever after should be held in one of England, Spain, Germany or Italy? The same condescending argument was trotted out when the World Cup went to the helmetball-loving USA in 1994 and baseball-loving Japan in 2002. I disagree. I don't think football should be a closed shop and the staging of those two World Cups sparked a surge in interest in the countries involved and in the case of the USA, the birth of a professional league which 12 years later could attract the England captain across the ocean. For the same reasons, Poland & Ukraine deserved Euro 2012 more than Italy and I look forward to the FIFA World Cup coming to China and Australia before long. * * * Who on earth would want to be a referee with all the abuse they get? Howard Webb is the latest to get police protection for his family after Polish fans posted his address & the usual death threats on the internet after he awarded Austria a last-minute penalty (quite rightly according to the rules). Other refs this tournament who have placed their head on the guillotine include Sweden's Peter Frojdfeldt, who awarded Ruud Van Nistelrooy's goal against Italy despite Christian Panucci lying in a heap over the goalline and clearly not being active, and who sent off both coaches at the Austria v Germany game for no obvious reason. The Sun in England has printed referees' contact details before in a shameful baying to the crowd. Swiss referee Urs Meier was one of their victims in 2004, receiving 16,000 abusive emails before being placed under police protection. Then a year later, Anders Frisk, one of Europe's top refs, retired after death threats to his family from Chelsea fans after Jose Mourinho had stoked the fire by falsely claiming he and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard had conversed at half time in their Champions League clash. Sooner or later a referee will get seriously hurt, or worse. Anyone who has ever reffed a game at any level can confirm just how tough a job it is, which makes the comments from Polish coach Leo Beenhakker and the even more stupid Polish sports minister Miroslaw Drzewiecki, who called Webb a "disgrace" and a "fraud", quite despicable. Until robots and cameras take over the officiating, we have to accept the human eye will make mistakes. You have to expect the odd decision to go against you, even if it involves a goal in the last minute. That is the way football has always been. Everyone knows that. In any case, keyboard ultras should beware: Howard Webb is a police sergeant by trade and looks the sort of guy I would not want to meet on a dark night. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Euro 2008: Part 3 – Joel Rookwood in Austria and Switzerland Wednesday had long since given way to Thursday, as the sun’s ascension across the Swiss sky was well underway. Five slumbering Scousers lay snoring on the green green grass of FC Sion’s home stadium, protected from the elements only by two of the most primitive tents ever manufactured (there was change from a £20 note for their collective purchase). Predictably, as the self-appointed leader of the group, I was the first to rise. A quick glimpse at my surroundings saw me spring into action, as I immediately realised I hadn’t dreamt the previous night’s selection of accommodation. We really were stupid enough to camp on a professional football pitch. The level of bravery-cum lunacy we had illustrated was matched only by the degree of fortune we experienced at not having been discovered. As I had drifted off to sleep I half expected to be woken by some irate groundsman accompanied by a dozen battle-hardened police officers. I needn’t have worried. The CCTV footage will hopefully never be recovered, although if it is, it will reveal that we came, saw and slept on, without tampering with the environment. The tent peg we were tempted to donate to the pitch once graced by our beloved Liverpool team was sensibly and thankfully collected on a final inspection of the site. With the vast majority of Switzerland’s current occupants still fast asleep, no doubt in warm, sheltered accommodation, five fatigued Liverpudlians headed for the car, and ultimately for the Swiss capital. We decided to take the scenic route, stopping near Interlaken for a meal on the banks of Lake Cresent, and even taking up the chance to park up on a train which escorted us through a 20-mile tunnel. Once we arrived in the charming city of Berne, the first port of call was the Nydegg Bridge, suspended 150 feet above the river Rhine. To the bemusement of passing tourists, we draped our ‘Scouse Spaniards’ Liverpool banner from the bridge, and managed to keep from dropping the flag onto one of the passing canoeists on the river below. Second to that, we relieved the nearest liquor store of a bottle of amoretto and a crate of lager, and set up camp on a central street. We then simply watched the world go by for much of what proved to be a fairly lazy afternoon. The largely uneventful schedule was punctuated only by the sighting of Ray Houghton, the former Liverpool midfielder, who seemed happy enough to spend the best part of half an hour talking football with a group of lads for whom he held a quiet heroic status. The lack of English natives at the tournament had doubtless subjected him to the sole company of a socially-challenged television producer - hence his solitude as he wandered the streets of Berne’s old town, seemingly devoid of purpose. It was little surprising that he appeared almost as glad of the conversation as we were, even if I did slightly embarrass him by telling the story of when I had knocked on the door of his family home in Childwall as an eight-year-old and asked his wife if ‘Ray was coming out’. We later headed to the nearby fanpark, where we watched the Germans succumb to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the impressive Slaven Bilic’s even more impressive Croatia team. We then spent the time between matches racing down the motorway to Luzern, immediately locating a central bar to watch the final hour of Poland’s tame 1-1 draw with co-hosts Austria. On the final whistle, we exited the bar, to find torrential rain was pelting the streets of Luzern. We looked at each other in stunned silence. None of us had planned for precipitation. We hadn’t really planned for anything on this trip, but a fierce wind and a ferocious downpour were certainly the last thing we had envisaged encountering. Our reaction did not exactly promise much, and involved running to the car, and continuing to head North East. Were we thinking we would drive around the weather? I’m not altogether sure, but whatever the plan was based on, it was clear that we were not responding well to the challenge. We stumbled across a campsite in Zug, on the outskirts of Zurich a little over an hour later. The reception was closed and the lights were off. In retrospect we should have taken the hint and vacated the site, but we were tired, and as fellow explorer (!) Ray Mears points out “you make bad decisions when you are wet.” Without any guiding light and in saturated conditions, three of us attempted to erect a tent in a marsh that could have been mistaken for Wigan Athletic’s pitch. The two other members of the group had the sense to stay in the car. Within half an hour we had joined them, after the tent had given up, and exposed its contents to the elements. We were soaked to the skin as we packed up our belongings, the sense of irritation evident as we got back on the road. With the clock having just past midnight, the realisation that we were on our fourth day on the continent, had not yet been to a single game, had contracted pneumonia and were cramped up in a car, could have got the better of us. But we knew better than to let that happen. Within half an hour, we had driven to and arrived in Zurich, located and checked into a hotel for 40 Euros each and collapsed on our own beds. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I woke the following morning with that familiar confusion, as I first tried to identify which country, then city, then locality I was lying in. As I walked downstairs I discovered that the ‘hotel’ was situated above a bar, which, judging by the faces of some of the other guests, had been drank dry the previous evening. Friday 13th June may not appear a particularly lucky date, but I was determined that this would be the day where I got my first taste of Euro 2008. It was my 28th birthday after all. The Italians were due to play the Romanians in FC Zurich’s home ground, but despite the personal significance of the date, it appeared increasingly unlikely that I would find a ticket for the game for less than 500 Euros. I had virtually abandoned all hope when I stumbled across an Italian with a couple of spares and a willingness to depart from them for a combined cost of 600 Euros. They may have appeared to be ludicrously priced, but as the saying goes, ‘a diamond has no value, except that which is placed upon it’. Judging by its initial stages, this competition is sure to see record average black market ticket prices. The Italian team appeared to be a mixture of very average and very good players. With a front two boasting more pace than Del Piero and more potency than Luca Toni, they would be a steady bet to reach the final. But the Spanish, with their forward line of Villa and Torres, will surely prevent Roberto Donadoni’s side from reaching the last four. Their opponents in Zurich were Romania, whose star man Mutu plies his trade in Italy’s Serie A. The goal-scoring hero in the first half, when he cancelled out Panucci’s opener, Mutu became the villain in the second half, when he saw his penalty saved by Buffon, thus denying Romania a vital victory. Faz and I were in the Italy end for the game, and experienced the Azzurri’s support, which was typically unique and passionate, if a little underrepresented. After a memorable early evening’s entertainment, we headed to the riverside fanpark in the centre of Zurich to see the impressive Dutch team destroy a sorry looking French side on the big screen. Whilst Holland look well balanced and free from some of the self-imploding mechanisms which have characterized previous campaigns, the 1998 World Champions and Euro 2000 winners France signalled their return to anonymity following the most glorious period in their history, with a performance lacking passion, purpose and productivity. After the match, an impromptu game of football we had started evolved into an evening sampling the local hospitality, despite my best efforts to prevent it. The less said about ‘who’ and ‘what’ I am referring to there the better. I did however eventually manage to drag the culprits away from Zurich. We then drove in the general direction of Austria, and specifically Innsbruck, which was the location of the closest match the following day. We decided to spend the night in Liechtenstein, simply because it was another country, and camped next to a stream. We alarmed several passing motorists the following morning by making full use of nature’s facilities before making our way to Innsbruck. During the early part of our visit to Switzerland, I had secretly been trying to arrange tickets for the Spain V Sweden game via an unnamed friend who holds an unnamed position at an unnamed football club. This friend had arranged three tickets from Fernando Torres, who had left them in the reception of the Spain team’s hotel. When I arrived there, I was lucky to gain entry to the lobby, which was heavily staffed. The lady behind the reception was clearly not English but had also obviously lived in England. Her composite accent revealed an extensive residency in the south-east, probably London. She also seemed to recongise my accent, and in conjunction with respective stereotyping, immediately applied all the mistrust and contempt she was permitted to as an employee of a very exclusive hotel. She refused at first to give me the tickets, but seemingly to annoy me, admitted to having them in her possession. She took delight in letting me know that Mr Torres had left them for Mr ________. Only the specific benefactor would be permitted to pick them up. I politely pointed out that was ridiculous, given that the person in question was in Liverpool, and so she reluctantly agreed to let me have them. However, she insisted that I make contact with the intended recipient and arrange a fax or email direct from him to her. With only two hours until kick off, it was not looking promising. Thankfully, the said individual was willing and kindly cooperated, much to the hotel employee’s annoyance. She did insist that I waited for the email however, sensing that I was uncomfortable with the plush surroundings. Everyone in the vicinity was in a suit, except for me, who was sporting flip-flops and shorts. As I waited for the transaction of information to be processed, I witnessed an incredible array of footballing personalities and executives pass through the lobby, including Roy Hodgson, and more significantly, William Gallard. The UEFA communications chief had been vilified for his response to the behaviour of Liverpool supporters following the 2007 Champions League final in Athens. He had refused to acknowledge any degree of culpability for UEFA’s role in the selection of venues, after disorder had broken out prior to the match. Although numerous supporters were to blame for unlawful forced entry into the ground, the appropriate conditions were simply not in place at a stadium not built to stage football events. As I sat in the lobby, I was desperate to raise the issue with him. The horrific receptionist though was clearly desperate for any opportunity to eject me from the building. Causing a scene with one of UEFA’s key executives would have been all the ammunition she needed. Nevertheless, I had the conversation all planned in my mind. I would simply congratulate him for choosing Rome as the venue for the 2009 final. Then, when he had been lulled into a false sense of security, assuming I was some well meaning if slightly annoying supporter, I would question UEFA's decision to select Istanbul, Athens and Moscow as previous venues, and suggest it doesn’t happen again. By that time I would doubtless be cuffed and about to be led into police custody. Meanwhile, my tickets would be sat in the possession of the inhospitable receptionist. It was a tough call to make. I had to choose between a once in a lifetime chance to confront one of UEFA’s key idiotic personnel, and a lagging chance to watch Torres and co. play in the European Championships. In the end, the latter ambition proved to hold the greater intensity. With kick off only ninety minutes away, I received confirmation of the contact between the two key personnel. The charming Swiss cockney looked devastated as she handed over the envelope, whilst I looked smugly satisfied. William Gallard had long since departed, and with him my window of opportunity to question UEFA’s policies. But I knew I had bigger challenges to face, namely that five of us had made the trip to the Championships, and I had only three tickets. The lads were unaware I had obtained any tickets of course, even though my unexplained disappearing act had clearly made them suspicious. I hadn’t wanted to suggest tickets were a possibility without being able to confirm they were a reality. But that time had now come. I rushed to the ground, where I met up with the group and explained the story. I told them only two of them could go in with me. It was a difficult decision to make, but in the end I opted to give the two lads I had known the longest the winning tickets. It was an awkward moment, but an inevitable one. At least I had managed to get two of my mates into the ground, I thought. It seemed insufficient consolation at the time. The three of us were seated in the end where Torres opened the scoring early in the first half, a goal which was cancelled out by Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s strike shortly before half time. Spanish coach Aragones was granted a lifeline in second half stoppage time however, with goal machine David Villa scoring yet again to send the Spain fans into delirium. By contrast, the Swedes knew this defeat had vastly reduced their hopes of qualifying for the quarter-final. For the three of us who gained entry into the ground, all waring Torres shirts and holding the ‘Scouse Spaniards’ banner, it was a fitting end to a memorable week. After a journey that had proven as challenging as it was rewarding, we headed to Basle for the following day’s flight back to Liverpool, secure in the knowledge that Liverpool’s number 9 Fernando Torres is the best in Europe.

The Rainy Season arrived in Seoul on Wednesday, 24 hours before the North Koreans were due to touch down. Skies above the peninsula were more threatening than a Dutch counter-attack. The ‘Sunshine Policy’ of recent South Korean governments in regards to the communist North Korea had its critics who claimed that all the warmth was flowing one-way only. Last weekend however, the roles were reversed as the North Korean national soccer team did its southern counterpart a big favor during qualification for the 2010 World Cup. Fans in Seoul will get a chance to show their appreciation on Sunday night as north and south do battle at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. DPRK defeated Jordan 2-0 in Pyongyang early last Saturday evening. That result meant that the team was certain of a top two finish in Group Three and a place in the final round of qualification which starts in September. It also ensured that it would be joined by South Korea. It was a pleasant piece of news for the Taeguk Warriors four hours before they took the field against Turkmenistan. The fact that both Koreas are through with one game to spare in Group Three means that Sunday’s match will be lacking a competitive edge that could otherwise have made it very interesting. The two coaches won’t mind that one bit. It is an extra game and a welcome chance to iron out some of the rough spots that had become apparent during the previous four matches. For the south, there was another bonus against Turkmenistan – the three goals from midfielder Kim Do-heon. It was a ray of sunshine at the end of a week that had seen Park Ji-sung experience knee problems. Kim, drafted into the team to replace the Manchester United man, was the star of the show in the Olympic Stadium in Ashgabat. The three goals will also have been well-received in England at Kim’s club, Premier League new boys West Bromich Albion. Now the sometimes shaggy-haired midfielder deserves to keep his place in the team for the ‘Korea Derby’ regardless of whether Park recovers. “It’s my wife’s birthday tomorrow and I wanted to give a present to our baby that will be born soon,” Kim told reporters. “It was a nice victory and it is good that now there is no pressure on us for the North Korea match.” Kim returned to Seoul on Sunday, in time to share seaweed soup with his wife and four days before the North Koreans. There were concerns they would never arrive and even now, FIFA and Korean Football Association (KFA) will breathe a sigh of relief when the plane from Beijing touches down in Incheon. The first inter-Korean match that was due to take place in Pyongyang in March 26 was relocated to Shanghai following a row over the playing of national anthems and the flying of flags. The South Koreans have demonstrated in recent years, especially at the 2005 East Asian Championships, that they don’t have a problem with the North Korean flag fluttering in the Land of the Morning Calm. Despite that the north still wasn’t too keen. In April, it was first reported that it wanted FIFA to move the game. Last week, the beef protests in Gwanghwamun provided another opportunity. Officials said they were concerned about the safety of their players, even the vegetarian ones. Once again, it was requested that Saturday’s game be relocated from Seoul to a third country or Jeju Island, famous for its pork. Once again, the KFA, backed by FIFA, refused and Huh Jung-moo was able to start focusing on the game. “North Korea is a very defensive team,” Huh Jung-moo said on Tuesday, pointing out that it had yet to concede a goal in five qualification matches. “We need to break through their defence line but also watch out for their counter-attacks.” Such sorties will likely be led by Jong Tae-se. For most southern fans it is the first chance to take a look at North Korea’s star striker. Jong, dubbed “The People’s Rooney” was born to South Korean parents in Japan and scored against his parents’ homeland in February at the East Asian Cup. “I am ready to show what I can do in Seoul,” he told reporters last week. “We are looking to win.” It doesn’t matter who wins now. It is all about getting ready for the next round. Copyright: John Duerden & Soccerphile.com Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

EURO 2008: France v Italy, Berne Netherlands v Romania, Zurich The calculators are out for tonight's Group of Death finale, but suffice to say winner takes all. A win would send France or Italy through; a victory for Romania against the already-qualified Dutch will send them into the Vienna quarter-final against Spain instead, eliminating both the 2006 World Cup finalists. It all gets complicated if France and Italy draw and Romania lose, leaving three teams on two points. Here's hoping somebody wins. My hunch is that Italy will defeat France, but Romania could yet shock a Dutch team with nothing to play for and render the other game meaningless. Both World Cup finalists look ragged, but the French seem more transitional than the Italians and looked more demoralised than the shocked Italians by their own Dutch treat. Italy tend to come up with the goods when against the wall and should have the quality to edge France. But eyes should rather be focused on Zurich to see how many stars Marco Van Basten is resting. Romania, let us not forget, lead France and Italy by a point and beat the Dutch at home in qualifying. * * * SNOWDROPS from the ALPS: *UEFA will bag a profit of 700 million Euros from the tournament, which makes me wonder why they need 5,000 volunteers. The governing body's largesse extends to serving 250,000 strawberries to their valuable hospitality guests. *The Austrian press revealed their team ate a breakfast of muesli (well it is the Alps), fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and carrot and orange juice. Later they dined on turkey or zander (fish) fillets followed by a vanilla and strawberry dessert. *The grass in the eight stadia is cut to a length of 23mm, just under an inch. * French 'first lady' Carla Bruni is headed for the guillotine after revealing she will be cheering her nation of birth, Italy, and not that of her husband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, tonight. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile EURO 2008 Quarter-Finals Croatia v Turkey Portugal v Germany Spain v France/Italy/Romania Netherlands v Sweden/Russia Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The most pleasant aspect of EURO 2008 for me has been the sight of banks of fans in the stadia. The corporate hospitality is still there, with 80,000 packages sold, and while that is 80,000 too many for my liking, I have not noticed huge numbers of suits inside the grounds like I have at the last three World Cups. No, in the matches I have attended in Innsbruck, Geneva and Vienna, I have been struck by the swathes of the competing countries' fans, the people who surely must get priority for tickets above all others. This is how footbal l used to be and could be again, I thought. This is because, for EURO 2008, national associations received 38% of the tickets, as opposed to the 19% they get from FIFA for World Cups. In addition, FIFA sold 15.2% of World Cup tickets in 2006 to the German FA and FIFA 'family', whoever they are, while UEFA's 2008 allocation was only 3%. Worryingly, UEFA's allocation to corporate hospitality has doubled since 2004 to 8% of the total, but it still less than FIFA's 11.3%. When fan tickets start at only €45, it is no wonder they sell these pac kages, which begin at €1250 for first-round games and rise to €2,000 for quarter finals, €4,000 for semis and €8,000 for the final, per person! 14% of EURO 2008 tickets went to sponsors as opposed to 16% of World Cup tickets, while the percentages for sales to the general public were 33% to 36%, where of course many genuine fans got their tickets from. UEFA's allocation of 19% per country per game does leave a lot to be desired on paper, when the Champions League final allocation per team is 27% and England fans at Wembley enjoy about 90% of match tickets. Many corporate tickets are still ending up in the hands of touts, who in the Alps are asking €400 per ticket as they did in Germany in 2006. While supporters used to be split between those who went to games and 'armchair' fans, the upsurge in interest in football and the unpleasant arrival of corporate hospitality into the people's game has forced fans elsewhere. Far more fans are to be found outside than inside the stadia themselves in host cities, where the practice of travelling overseas to watch games on big screens in publically-organised viewing areas is now the standard of fan culture. When six of the eight stadia in EURO 2008 hold only the minimum required capacity of 30,000 seats, supporters were always going to look elsewhere to congregate. Following their success in Germany in 2006, the future of overseas match trips looks to be ticketless travel to vast fan zones. While nothing beats the stadium experience, the fan zones are the next best thing when done well. In fact the Vienna fan zone is much better than those I went to in Germany, with many more big screens and reasonably priced food and drink stands you don't waste time queueing for. The uncomfortable feeling persists that in the modern age of football, fans forking out to attend games in globally televised tournaments are far from the priority for the organizers, and are largely accommodated for the purposes of adding colour to the commercially marketable televised spectacle. Nevertheless, the stadium ticket allocation here has felt like a breath of fresh air after the farce of the World Cup. With South Africa only two years away and the torrent of opprobrium heaped on FIFA's rotten ticketing allocation last time still vivid, let us hope the sport’s world governing body learns something from the fun and football-loving stadia of EURO 2008. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League

EURO 2008: Austria 0-1 Germany, Ernst-Happel Stadion, Vienna Ballack 49' Germany advanced to a tasty quarter-final clash with Portugal after ending Austrian hopes 1-0 in Vienna tonight. A rocket of a set piece from Michael Ballack was the only goal of the 90 minutes, but the Chelsea man's strike was enough to see off the challenge of the co-hosts on their home patch. For all the national euphoria stirred up on this side of the Alps over the past few days, Austria still took the field at the Prater massive underdogs, the 92nd ranked team in the world looking for a win against the fifth best and pre-tournament favourites. Josef Hickelsberger's men were backed by thunderous support from two thirds of the arena, creating a cauldron of sounds, but the red hordes never quite materialised into a twelfth man to push the Germans onto the ropes. Ballack's missile of a set piece, won after the impressive Phillipp Lahm had gone on a buccaneering run through the Austrian midfield four minutes after half time, was a world-class strike, the type of which Austria, for all their desire and energy, just could not match on the night. The German skipper had called for his team to play at 'full power' for the 90, but the suspicion as the second half wore on was that the three times world champions were in mild cruise control, hoping the clock would wear out the Austrians, and in expectation of a sterner test with Portugal on the way. The Prater was a maelstrom of noise by kickoff, with every Austrian advance met by booming roars, harking back to the great nights in the old stadium's history. Germany began with aplomb, and almost succeeded in snatching an early strike to puncture the Austrians' atmospheric advantage. An underfit backpass by Gyorgy Garics in the third minute has Vien nese hearts in mouths, but the Austrian right back redeemed himself with an extraordinary back header off the line moments later, after ponderous German forward Mario Gomes had fluffed an open goal chance. Germany looked ominous for the first five minutes, their superior movement and physique turning the red shirted defence several times. But having weathered the early scares, Austria moved back into contention and settled into a more assured rhythm, enough to let them hope of getting a break to hit the Germans on the counter. By the 18th the Austrians had grown in confidence sufficiently to have a pop at their more-fancied opponents. Good work on the right by Garics and Umit Korkmaz allowed Martin Hiden to whip in a cross. Erwin Hoffer, who had stolen a march on the German back four, wasted the priceless opportunity by failing to control the ball and the chance was lost. Two minutes later Rene Aufhauser fancied his chances from 25 yards and drew a diving save from Jens Lehmann, matched by an even more venomous drive at the other end from Lukas Podolski moments later. With a third of the game gone, Austria were more than the 40% in the game their manager had predicted, although Germany had shown more sharpness up front. If the game was not absorbing enough already, the Prater's 51,000 eyes turned to events off-field in the 42nd minute, which ended bizarrely with both Joachin Low and Hickersberger being given their marching orders by Spanish referee Manuel Gonzalez. The two shook hands and followed each other up the stairs, Low stopping to talk to German Chancellor Angela Merkel before placing himself between Bastian Schweinsteiger and Oliver Bierhoff in the stands. Germany finished the half having enjoyed almost 60% of the ball, and having played 206 passes to Austria's 145. But with the score at 0-0 Austria went into the dressing rooms still confident of creating an upset. The red sea was soon calmed however. Lahm had rampaged 30 yards before being upended by Andreas Ivanitsch, who became the third Austrian to enter the touchy referee's notebook. Then the punishment became a goal when Ballack drilled an unstoppable missle into the postage stamp, beyond the reaches of the diving goalkeeper Jurgen Macho. With Germany in the lead and Austria needing two, the game rhythm changed as Austria began to chase. Hickersperger had made his three substitutions by the 66th minute, the last of which, Roman Kienast, immediately added a lively presence up front beside Erwin Hoffer. Korkmaz on the left was the source of much of Austria's good work, cutting inside German right back Arne Friedrich and helping win a number of corners. But with fifteen minutes to go, Lehmann had still not had a save to make in the second half. For all their endeavour and admirable desire to pass the ball to feet, it looked like Austria just did not possess the quality in a number of positions to turn the screw on their opponents. They had no Ballack, no Lahm and no Podolski. Germany defended competently, poised to push the destroy button as soon as they got a break. They almost ended the contest in the 80th when Macho punched Torsten Fring's inswinging corner off the line, but Austria were not finished yet. Ivanitsch passed two coasting defenders moments later but was tackled by the last man. With six minutes to go, Austria were in the last-chance saloon, but there was still a chink of light. Having spread their line of attack spread right across the field to guarantee space, Garics managed to pierce the German defense on the left, but Hoffer's finish flashed wide of Lehmann's upright. Austria were still prodding methodically until they got to around 20 yards from goal, but Jurgen Samuel's tame grasscutter in the 88th summed up their lack of bite up front. Germany should have killed the game off earlier, but had more chances in the final seconds. Miroslav Klose failed to beat a brave Macho from close range, and Torsten Frings and Oliver Neuville missed sitters, before the referee finally threw in the towel and blew for time. An atmosphere of relief rather than triumphalism came from the German end, while the red majority of the Prater applauded their heroes' gallant efforts. The better team had clearly won, but Austria had not died without t rying. The final stats showed Austria had enjoyed 56% of the ball after the break, but had only registered three shots on target to Germany's six. Austria can exit EURO 2008 with some pride intact at having avoided the three thrashings some had feared and can now look forward to the start of World Cup qualifiers in the autumn. For Germany though, a tough quarter final with Portugal in Basel on Thursday looms. AUS -Jurgen Macho, Martin Stranzl, Emanuel Pogatetz, Christian Fuchs, Rene Aufhauser (Jurgen Samuel 63'), Andreas Ivanitsch, Umit Korkmaz, Gyorgy Garics, Martin Hiden (Christoph Leitgeb 55'), Martin Harnik (Roman Kienast 67'), Erwin Hoffer GER - Jens Lehmann, Arne Friedrich, Clemens Fritz (Tim Borowski 90'), Torsten Frings, Mario Gomez (Thomas Hitzlsperger 60'), Miroslav Klose, Michael Ballack, Phillipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski (Oliver Neuville 83'), Christoph Metzelder. Att: 51, 428 (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting